Loss Of Innocence
by Stith
Summary: A normal day on the Valkyrie goes awry. Stith is assaulted and it's up to Akima to solve the crime.


**__**

LOSS OF INNOCENCE

**By: Stith**

_A normal day on the Valkyrie is shattered as Stith is assaulted. It's Akima's job to find out who raped and nearly killed her best friend. Will Akima find out who did it? Or will Stith fall victim to her assailant? Please read the bold paragraph at the bottom for an interactive challenge._

"Arg! Stupid freakin' turrets, always losing power!" Stith yelled as she worked on the broken weapons system. She could hear the ion engines of the _Valkyrie_ roaring nearby. Stith loved her job, but it seemed like she could never get the weapons to work correctly every time she fixed them. She'd complained to Korso about getting new weapons, but it always was the same old excuse "We have to save it for dire emergencies." He'd always tell her. She'd been working on the _Valkyrie _for at least two years and they've never had a dire emergency. They probably had enough money to buy three brand new, shiny, technologically advanced _Valkyrie'_s. "But no, we gotta sit here on this falling apart, piece of crap." She said to herself. Oil dripped onto Stith's face as she put the last screw into the machinery. Stith crawled out from under the turret and wiped her face off with a nearby towel that was still dirty from the previous jobs. Stith threw the towel to the ground as she walked to the next, and last, broken turret "Best aim out of everyone here. Best knowledge of firearms and weapon systems, and I'm stuck doing shit jobs like this." Stith said to herself as she got under the next turret. And of course, life had to give her a broken refluctuator. "Why me." She muttered and began her arduous task. If only Ishaq was still with them, maybe he could have played music from famous Human composers to help her calm down. She had always liked that music in times of stress, it helped her calm down. Stith clanged the wrench against the stubborn weaponry in anger "Piece of crap!" she yelled. "Talking to yourself, are we? Not exactly the best way to show our sanity, Stith." Preed said as he walked in. Stith sighed, he never seemed to leave her be. You have a relationship with the man, and he never eases up. "I don't really feel like talking to you right now, Preed. I'm in the middle of fixing this big, hulking, scrap heap!" she yelled. Preed laughed "Always the Stith that I know. You never seem to derive from your normal angry self, you know that's not healthy." He said as he took a few awkward steps over to the busy Stith. She supposed that blaming it on PMS was out of the question "So what? If you had to do this constantly, you'd be pissed too!" she replied. "Need any help?" Preed asked as he propped himself against the wall directly in front of Stith. "Unless you prefer to stay still and watch, no. I've got this." She responded. "I can do that, the view from here is not that bad." He said as he looked between Stith's legs. She immediately got out from under the turret and stood up to meet Preed's eyes with hers. Her tail thrashed about behind her "What is it that you want from me?" she asked. Preed shrugged "Another chance?" he asked nervously, not knowing what her answer might be. Stith threw the wrench across the dank room, Preed jumped slightly as she did so "Preed, I told you before, it's over. Can't you get that through your thick skull, or is that metal plate hindering your ability to comprehend that!" She yelled. Ever since their break up, Preed has always tried to get her back. Flowers, singing (which sounded horrid, by the way), you name it and he's probably tried it. "Stith, my dear, sugar," Preed said as he was rattling off pet names he'd given Stith "Shut up! You know I hate it when you call me those names." She said as her long, muscular legs strode over to the other side of the room to pick up the wrench. "Why Stith? Why won't you take me back?" he asked with a sick desperation. Stith picked the wrench back up and waddled back over to the turret. She sat down and crawled under the weapon "Why? One: you tried to kill me." She said. "That was then, this is now. I'm sorry." He tried to reason. "Two: I caught you with that Akrennian woman on Houston colony after the incident." She told him. "Her? She meant nothing to me!" he said with a desperate laugh. "Three: You nearly never take a bath." She said. Preed chacked his armpits with a sniff and retched back "Okay, that is my fault. I'll bath more, I swear!" he pleaded. Stith crawled back from under the turret. "And reason number four: Whenever I get close, you pull away. I just can't deal with that anymore and that is why I refuse to have a relationship with you again." She said. Preed hung his head in shame as a wave of guilt flushed over him. "I'm sorry." He sputtered out. "Too little, too late, Preed. Now go, I need to get this finished before Korso gets pissed at me again for not meeting the deadline." Stith said as she waved his hand at him from under the turret. Preed gave a slow nod and walked out. 

He stood in front of the door and looked down. He pulled out a knife he'd bought on a drifter colony they'd visited, a sharp dagger with a religious symbol emblazon on the blade. Anger welled inside of him.

Akima was in her room, listening to music and setting up her Old Earth memorabilia all over her room in a straight and orderly fashion. These kind of things, such as an old baseball, could go for well over thousands of credits at a New Earth trader. But Akima never even thought of trading them in, not once. She couldn't bear to part with the memories they each had. In her own mind, each had it's own story to tell; where they've been, who claimed it before herself, etc. Akima took pride in keeping them in good condition, much like Stith who always likes to polish and maintain her guns. Akima had thought of taking a job in a museum to be among Old Earth memoirs such as the ones she had, but flying was way more exhilarating. There was a knock on her door "Who is it?" She asked "It's me, have you heard from Stith?" Korso asked. His voice had anger to boost it's potency "Um, no, not since you sent her to fix the turrets. Why?" Akima told the captain. "The deadline was over thirty minutes ago and one of the turrets is still not functioning properly." He replied. Akima felt sorry for Stith, she had been warned about not meeting deadlines by Korso many times, and this time Korso sounded serious. "I don't know why I ever hired her." Korso said as he walked off. Akima watched as he stormed towards the weapons area, hopefully Korso would be lenient towards her. After all, if it wasn't for Stith; Akima would have never met Cale, she probably wouldn't have ever gotten to the flight school, and not to mention getting off of Solbrecht. But then again, Korso is the captain and you can't go against his orders.

A few minutes later, Akima went outside into the hallway. There was blood drops placed along the hallway. She now officially felt scared. Akima ran to the weapons bay, where Stith had been working at. She slowly opened the door "Stith? Are you in here?" She asked as she entered the room. Akima nearly swallowed her own tongue at the sight in front of her. Stith was lying on the ground, her hands were handcuffed to a metal pole near one of the turrets. Stith's clothing was ripped, blood trickled out of the knife marks on her exposed body. She'd been raped and beaten, obviously someone left her for dead "Stith!" Akima cried out as she ran to her defeated form. Stith was shivering as she coughed up more blood, God knows how long she'd been there. "Stith! What happened! Who did this?!" Akima frantically asked. Stith replied in a series of coughs and spitting. "I'll be right back, don't die on me!" Akima said as she ran out. She went into the med bay and frantically searched for blankets and the skin regenerating tool. She found the tool and the blankets in a matter of a minute and rushed back. Stith was still quivering on the floor next to a warm pool of her own blood. Akima ran over to her and wrapped Stith in blankets to cover her exposed body and to keep her warm as she healed her. "Who could do such a thing?" Akima asked herself.

After healing most of her wounds, Akima quickly realized that she needed to get Stith to an IV machine to get her blood back before she dies of blood loss. Akima quickly ran back to the med bay and got a hover stretcher, a convenient little device that could support over nine hundred pounds and required only one person to operate, perfect for lifting a Mantrin that weighs over three hundred pounds (normal Mantrin weight). She carried it between her armpit as she ran back. She slid the stretcher under her fallen friend and activated the hover stretcher. The Mantrin was lifted up, but was still cuffed to the pole. Akima took the regen tool from off the ground and bashed the chain with it until it finally snapped. Akima ran off with Stith in the stretcher, the all white blankets that were wrapped around Stith's vulnerable body was now half covered in blood. The Mantrin writhed in pain as Akima got her to the medical room. She quickly hooked Stith to the IV machine as quickly as possible, then unloading her to a bed. Akima covered Stith with the covers that were on the bed and hooked her to a heart monitor. The pulse was weak, but it was there. A minute or two later and it might not have been. Akima went over to the weapons bay and looked around the room for the regen tool. She picked it up and ran back to Stith to finish her healing. Akima nearly cried at the site of her best friend in such a terrible shape such as this, but what was worse was the fact that someone aboard this ship did this atrocity. Akima sat down next to Stith on a stool and held her hand. It felt cold, but that was to be expected due to the blood loss. "Who did this to you?" Akima asked her friend, but Stith closed her eyes and slipped into unconsciousness. The heart monitor was starting to stabilize. Akima slowly petted Stith's docile head "I'll find out who did this to you. Sleep now, I'll get the person who did this." Akima said to her with sweet motherly care detectable in her voice. Akima got up and shut the lights off in the med bay as she left. Now was the hardest part, she had to play detective.

Akima went into the weapons bay a few minutes after she left the medical bay. She turned the light on from her flashlight to get a better view. The room was lit, just not very well to see clearly. She shined the light at the pole Stith was attached to. Handcuffs were available to anyone on the ship, so there was no clue there. Stith had knife marks on her body, Akima remembered Preed's knife that he'd recently shown off to her. So now Preed was a suspect, but Korso had a military knife as well, so he is also a suspect. So far, anyone could have done this. She looked around the room, she crouched and looked under the turrets Stith had been working under, a taser was in the far right corner. She grabbed it and examined it. Akima had never seen anyone with a taser here before. She tested it, the battery was dead. She checked the voltage, 25000 vt's of electricity. Must've used all the juice on Stith, she after all was a big girl and tough as hell. Akima pocketed the taser and examined the room. Nothing except for blood…..and a white substance. Akima looked at it, it was a trace of reproductive fluids. Akima reeled back as she realized what it was and left the room. She thought for a minute as she looked at the ground and remembered something. The blood trail. 

She followed it to Preed's room. Preed now struck Akima as her number one suspect. She knocked on his door "Preed! You in there? Preed!" She said, no one answered. The door opened slightly due to the force of Akima's knock. She ventured into the room to see a rare sight. Preed….crying, more like a silent sobbing. She walked up to Preed, the blood trail led up to his bedside. "Preed, I demand to know what's going on!" she yelled, the rage filled her body slowly "A..Akima. I was just…trying…" he trailed off, he turned around and revealed a rather large cut on Preed's wrist. He looked horrible, not as bad as Stith, but pretty close to it. A trail of clear snot ran down Preed's nostrils and his eyes were shrink wrapped in tears. Akima sat next to him and took his wrist. She examined them, they were heavily bandaged. "Why did you slit your wrist?" Akima asked. "C..cause Stith hates..me. I can't stand t-to be hated by her. She doesn't love me. I asked her if she would forgive me, but she said no." He said. Akima sighed, she knew the whole story of their break up, mainly cause Stith was very pissed off for several days until she finally told her. "You shouldn't treat her wrong then. You cheated on her and never showed your affection towards her whilst she tried to open up to you. I'm sorry Preed, but I'm gonna have to cuff you until we get to a police carrier." She said. Preed's eyes widened and looked shockingly into her eyes "What! Why? I just tried to kill myself, not commit grand larceny!" he pleaded. Akima shook her head "You were so mad that she shot you down, so you went in," She took the taser out "You stunned her with this, raped and beat her, left her for dead and tried to kill yourself in the midst of all your sadness." Akima recited. Preed looked at her "Stith was what!" he said. "You don't know?" she asked. Preed shook her head "Is she okay?" he asked. "Barely, but she'll live. Hopefully." She answered "Where's your knife?" Akima noticed that he didn't have it. "Korso took it away from me. He caught me." He answered. Akima felt sick, now it was all on Korso. Of course, Preed could be lying, but that all remains to be seen.

Akima went to Korso's room. She knocked "Korso, it's Akima, I need to talk to you." She said. "Just a minute." He answered. Akima shook her head "This is urgent, I need to speak to you right now." She replied. "Akima, don't get your panties in a twist, I'll be out in a minute!" he said. Akima realized that he could be getting rid of evidence as they spoke. She decided to bust in the door. If Stith was here, she'd let her handle that. Her huge triple jointed Mantrin legs would have provided ample kicking power to bust the door, but her shoulder would have to due without Stith. Akima backed up as far as she could and ran at the door with as much power as she could muster. She hit the door with just enough force to bust it from it's closed and locked state to it's open and broken state. She looked at Korso who was standing in the nude, he turned around and put the pants he was about to put on in front of his crotch "Damn it Akima, I said in a minute! Turn around!" he shouted. "Y-yes captain!" she answered as she twisted around. Her shoulder burned in pain. Korso put the pants on and zipped them up "Now, what is it that was so important that you had to break my door for?" he asked. Akima noticed Preed's knife on the desk next to him "Why is Preed's knife on your table….with blood on it?" Akima asked. Korso looked at the knife for a second and looked back at Akima "Preed was going to kill himself. Whenever someone is suicidal, it's imperative to keep any and all instruments of self destruction away from the person." He said, almost like he recited from a book. Akima looked around, she saw bloodied clothing lying on the floor "What's all that?" she asked while pointing at the pile. Korso looked at the clothes "I used my shirt to stop the bleeding. You're mighty inquisitive today, what's up?" he said. Akima ignored the question "Did you talk to Stith?" she asked. "Yeah, I did." Korso replied. He raised an eyebrow "When?" Akima asked. Korso sighed "After I dealt with Preed, why? What are you getting at?" The story clicked in Akima's mind. It all made sense "Stith was attacked. By someone on this ship." She paused for a minute "That person raped her and nearly killed her. I believe you are that person." She told him. Korso went up to her "Little lady, blaming crimes on me can earn you a trip to the brig. Second, I never attacked Stith, nor would I ever try to sexually assault her. She is a respected member of this ship just like anyone else here. I told her that if she doesn't finish her work, she doesn't eat until she does. Then I left, that's all. I'm sorry about Stith, I truly am, but you have to quit going around and accusing people. On a different planet, it might get you killed." He said. Akima knew when to and when to not instigate Korso, so she turned and left the room. Akima decided to go investigate the only other two people who could have possibly done it. Cale and Gune.

Now Gune was almost a no-brainer. He almost never comes out of his room unless he's ordered to, when food's ready, or when he needs parts. Gune was never a sickly psychotic type, even with a taser, he could never have taken Stith down. It was physically impossible. He was too much of a….kid, to actually do something like that. So, Akima decided to pass up Gune as she walked by his room. She found Cale as she was walking to the mess hall. He was eating lunch, probably on a break. Stith never took breaks while she worked, she didn't believe in it. Some would say she's a work-a-holic, but anyone would if they loved their job as much as Stith did. She came up behind Cale and gave him a soft hug while she kissed him on the neck. "Hey there, honey." Cale said with his mouth halfway filled with food. "Hi Cale, were you working on the ship all day?" Akima asked. Cale nodded "Korso had me check the engines and system. I think he's a little uptight due to the cargo job we have." Cale said. He was referring to the cargo we had to get to Qu'ut Minor. Despite that we now had New Earth and the cargo of precious Old Earth cultural items were deposited there, they still needed our help. They pay very well for a civilization cut off from almost anyone on the outside. "Yeah, he's wound up more now, since Preed tried to kill himself and Stith…." She trailed off. Cale dropped the fork he was using to eat in shock "He tried to kill himself? What happened to Stith?" he asked. "Yeah, Preed was shot down by Stith. And someone assaulted her….badly." she answered. Cale stood up "Is she okay?" Akima nodded "Yes, but she was barely hanging on. She's lucky I found her, or she might have been dead by now." Akima had a slight sadness in her voice. "I'm sorry." He said as he hugged her softly. "How is she doing now?" he asked. "Last time I checked, she was doing better." Akima replied. Cale got his lunch and threw it away. "I need to get back to work. Tell Stith that my heart goes out to her." He said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. Akima nodded and Cale walked off to the engines. Akima walked back to the med bay and entered. Stith was still asleep, but Preed was by her side. He looked at Akima as she walked in "Did you find out who it was?" he asked. Akima shook her head "No. Rock hard alibis all around." She replied. Akima was very tired due to today's events "I'm going to bed for awhile. Maybe lying in bed will help me gather my thoughts." She replied. Preed nodded "I'll watch over her." He said. Akima walked out into the hall, she never knew that Preed could have a sensitive side. She went over to her room and went to bed.

She had a case of insomnia. Her thinking clouded all around her as she tried to put everything together. This was not a job for a new detective. Then, alarms began blaring around the ship, the Code Blue alarm. Stith's heart went out. "No! No, no!" Akima shouted towards herself as she ran out towards the med bay. She ran in, Preed was gone. Stith's heart meter was a flat line. She looked at the ground, someone unplugged the IV machine. She put it back it, Stith's heart meter jumped back up, then flat line. "Please don't do this Stith!" she yelled at her as she went to grab the shock paddles. She put a clear jelly on the paddles and charged them up. Akima uncovered Stith and took the blankets off to expose her chest. She rubbed the two paddles together "Clear!" she yelled and put the paddles on her chest. Stith's body jolted upwards as the electricity passed through her body, then went back down. The heart meter kept a steady pace. Stith coughed in shock "Ah-ah-ah!" she grunted. "Stith! You're alive!" Akima exclaimed happily. "Of course I am! Those paddles could wake the dead!" she said. The crew of the _Valkyrie_ bursted in "Is everything okay? Is she alive?" Korso asked. "Yes, someone unplugged the machines. Someone is trying to hide the truth." Akima told him "And I know now exactly who it is. That's why that someone tried to kill me, to prevent me from revealing him." Stith said. The crew looked at each other as Stith covered her chest. The paddles hurt like hell. "Who?" Korso asked. Stith looked at everyone, then pointed a solitary clawed finger at the culprit.

"It was……."

****

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Can you solve the mystery? In the review section, write down your deduction of the case and tell me who you think raped and tried to kill Stith. Keep in mind the clues and the mystery should be solved easily. Look for the conclusion soon.


End file.
